Window cutting means for envelope machines



July 27, 1948. L; HOFFMAN ET AL WINDOW CUTTING MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 July 27, 1948. 1.. HOFFMAN ET AL 2,445,831

' WINDOW wr'rme MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES Filed Feb. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS I Patented July 27, 1948 WINDOW CUTTING MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MAGHINES Louis Hoffman, Brooklyn, and August Dalmen,

Jamaica, N. Yr, assignors to P. L. Andrews Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York 1 Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 578,874

This invention relates to improvements in rotary mechanism for cutting windows in envelope blanks, said mechanism "being adapted to be incorporated in an automatic envelope manufacturing machine intermediate the mechanism for.

the window cutting operation, and especially,

against displacement or shift under the drag of thecutting die, which is carried by the cutting roll means, as said die initially engages an advanced envelope blank and'begins window cutting operation thereupon.

I This invention has for another object to provide an arrangement of cooperating windowcutting and bed rolls, whereby the cutting roll is disposed to oppose the exterior face of i an envelope blank operated upon thereby, so as to out inwardly through said blank, and consequently so that any bur formedalong the cut window bounding edge will be located on the interior face of the envelope blank, and thus interiorly of the finished envelope. To this end, the cutting roll is disposed beneath the bed roll, and saidbed rollis provided with picker means to engage and carrying upwardly and away the cutout portions or chips severed from the blank by the window cutting operation; andthe invention has for a further object to provide, in cooperative relation to said bed roll, a pneumatic discharge conduit, and means operative to remove chips from the bed roll picker means at a point adjacent to the receiving mouth of said pneumaticdischarge conduityso that the freed chips are subjected to the suction draft of the latter whereby to be received therein and then conveyed away therethrough.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated will be understood from the following detailed description of the same. i

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown'in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig; 1 is a transverse verticalsectional v ew 4 claims. (01. 164--2d) throughan envelope manufacturing machine at a point where the window cutting mechanism is located, the cutting and bed rolls of the latter mechanism'being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 in Figbut drawn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the cutting and bed rolls, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts. it

Referring to the drawings,the reference character l0 indicates theopposite side frames of an envelope manufacturing machine. Journaled in bearings With which the side frames lfl are provided, is a transverse shaft l2. Located beneath and parallel to the shaft I2 is a shaft l3. Said shaft !3 is journaled in bushings or bearings 14 which are mounted on bracket members 15. Saidbracket members I5 are afiixed to the side frame l0, and together therewith form a part of the framework of the envelope manufacturing machine. Fixed on said shaft [2 is a driving gear it to which operating power, by which the envelope manufacturing machine is actuated, may be applied bysuitably arranged transmission means (not shown).. The shaft 12 drives the shaft l3 by means of intermeshing gearing comprising the gears I1 and I8.

Fixed on the lower shaft I3 is a cutting roll 19. A portion of the cutting roll i9 is cut away to provide aflat seat 2|], and mounted on said seat is a radially projecting cutting d-ie means which is suitably shaped to cut a window opening of desired dimensions and peripheral shape in the envelope. blank B. In a preferred form thereof as shown, said cutting die means comprises a die block 2! provided on itsunderside with spaced dowel pins 22. Said dowel pins engaged in sockets which enter the cutting roll body beneath its seat 2t, whereby to hold said die block 2! against shifting displacement from its operatively assembled position on the cutting roll. The die block is secured in the described mounted relation to the cutting roll [9 by a countersunk fastening screw 23. Aflixed to and surrounding the periphery of the die block 2! is a cutting blade structure 2 the outwardly presented sharpened cutting edges of which project beyond the exterior face 'of the die block 2|, and somewhat beyond the periphery of the cutting roll l9.

Fixed on the shaft I2 is a bed roll 21 which is disposed above and in aligned oppositionto the cutting roll l9 and its cutting blade structure 24, whereby to support an envelope blank B subject to the cutting action of the latter. Said bed roll 21 is provided across it circumferential face with a countersunk hardened steel block 28 adapted to oppose and cooperate with the cutting edges of the cutting blade structure 24 during the window cutting operation of the latter. Said block is securely a-filxed to the bed r011 21 by a countersunk screw 29.

Extending respectively from opposite ends of the bed roll 21 are hub extensions 30 of substantially reduced diameter. Said hub extensions 30 are preferably provided with flanges 3| which are affixed to and which abut thebed roll ends, so that flanges provide bed roll end faces 32. Fixed on said hub extensions 3'0 are collars '33 adapted to be disposed in spaced opposition to the bed roll end faces 32. Preferably said hub extensions 30 are provided with external screw threads 34, and said collars 33 are internally threaded to screw onto the threaded hub extensions. Said collars 33 are each provided with :a plurality of circumferentially spaced sockets '35 opening out from the inner faces thereof. Mounted contiguous to the inner faces of said'collars are annular thrust plates 36. Said thrust plates are provided with .rearwardly projecting carnier pins 31 corresponding in position and number to the position and'n-umber of sockets in the respecltively adjacent collars; said pins being entered in said sockets. Mounted around the carrier pins 31 and housed in the collar sockets 35 are compre'ssion spnings 38. These compression springs are purchased for thrust upon the bottoms of said collar sockets, and exert strong tensional forward thrust upon the thrust plates 3'6. Mounted between the thrust plates 38 and the respective bed roll end faces 32 opposed thereby are annular blank nip-ping plates 39. Said blank nipping plates exceed in diameter the diameter of the bed roll 21. Said blank nipping :plates 39 are gripped between the thrust plates 36 and the bed roll end "faces 32, so as to be radially yieldable, and yet :so friction-ally clutched to the bed roll end faces 32 as to rotate therewith. The external peripheries of said blank nipping plates 39 are cooperatively {opposed to the 'cuttingroll 1'9 in straddling relation to the cutting die means carried by the latter, and; when engaged by the periphery of said cutting roll, are shifted radially to an eccentric relation .to the axis of rotation of the bed roll '21.

between the cutting and bed rolls is assured,

without risk of shifting displacement of the blank under drag of the window cutting die, as will be hereinafter more particularly explained.

Means is provided for bracing the bed 'roll I! and its shaft 12 against reaction or yielding play relative to the cutting roll 19, and, similarly, means is also provided forEb-racing the -'cutti'n'g.rol'l 1:9 and its shaft 13 against similar reaction or yielding play relative to the bed roll, whereby the cutting :and bed rolls are firmly held in their 'cooperative working relation so as to assure proper meeting of the cutting die means and bed block, and consequently a clean 'incising penetration of "the cutting edges of the-cutting blade structure '24 through a'bla-nk B engaged by and passed betwe'en said cutting and bed rolls. To this end a transverse tension or brace bar 40 is supported by and between attachment brackets '41 which are affixed to the bearings H that support the bed rollshaft 12, thereby disposing said tension or brace bar 4 to extend from side to side of the machine framework, above and parallel to said bed roll shaft l2. Carried by adjustable jack screws 42, which are threaded downwardly through said tension or brace bar 40, are thrust bearing blocks 43 which thrust downwardly upon the bed roli shaft l2, respectively adjacent to each end of the bed roll assembly. Said jack screws 42 are provided with lock-nuts 42 for securing the same in adjusted relation to the tension or brace bar 40. Similarly, a transverse tension or brace bar 44 is supported by and between attachment brackets 45 which are affixed to the'machine side frames It. This tension or brace bar 44 is disposed to extend, from side to side of the machine framework, below and parallel to the cutting roll shaft l3 and its supports. Threaded upwardly through said tension or brace bar 4-4 are jack screws 46, the free ends of which thrust upwardly against the framework bracket members l5 by which the cutting roll sh-aft l3vis supported. Said i'ack screws 46 are also provided withlock-nuts '41 for securing the same in adjusted relation to the tension or brace bar 44.

'The bed roll 21 is provided with means for engaging and'carrying away from a blank 13 the portion thereof which is cut awaytherefromiby the cutting die -means,- whereby to form-thedesired window opening in the enveiopebody. This means comprises :a pair of picker pins ill-which project radially from the bed block 28. Said picker pins 48 are mounted .inscrew-threaded holder elements 49, which are adapted to be screwed into internally threaded sockets provided in the bed block for their reception. Thedie block 21 of the cutting roll 49 is provided with a pair of yieldable cushionelements 50 to oppose'said picker pins 48, whereby to support the portion 'cut away from the blank B :so that it will be pierced and impaled upon the picker pins 48, and thereby carried away from the blank body by the ascending movement of the bedroll 21. Preferably said cushion elements 50 comprise plugs of soft rubber "or equivalent yieldable material, which are aflixed in sockets provided in'th'e dieiblock 2=Ifor their reception. Said plugsare sized to-project from the surface of the die block 2|,y-so that their outer ends lie substantially in the plane of the cutting edges of the cutting blade structure '24. I

Means isv provided for removing impaled cutout portions or chips from the picker pins 48, the samecomprisi'ng a doctor blade 5|, the free edge of which bears tangentially against the upwardly moving surface of the rotatedbed roll 21. 'Said doctor blade 5! may be supported inany suitable wayso as 'to operatively engage the bed roll surface; and to this end may be conveniently mounted on the tension or brace bar 40 to depend therefrom. The free or bed roll engaging edge of said doctor blade 5| is provided with indented notches 52 to provide clearance forthe picker pins '48, when the latter are carried past the-doctor blade. Affixed to the outer face of the doctor blade are chip lifter fingers 53, the same being secured at their lower'ends to the doctor blade body adjacent .to the free or bed roll engaging edge of the latter. Said chip lifter. fingers 5'3 incline upwardly and away from the face of the doctor blade 5!, so that, as a chip carried upwardly by the picker pins-4'8 is dislodged fromthe latter by the doctor blade, said chip williride upwardly onto said lifter fingers so as to be quickly offset from the faceof the doctor blade, and thus quickly and surely brought under the influence of. suction of theherei-nafter described pneumatic is advanced thereby, or shifting displacement is overcome, especially discharge means by whichthe chips are received and carried away from the machine; Said pneumatic discharge means comprises an air suction conduit 54, having its open mouth disposed above and so as to closely overhang the doctor-blade 5| andits'lifter fingers 53; and to this end the receiving end of 'saidconduit 54 may be attached to the tension or brace bar 40 by a suitable bracket connection 55. Any suitable 'means (not shown) may. beprovided for inducing a suction flow of air to enter the conduit mouth and to thence move inward therethrough. As th chips are freed from the picker pins 48, and then offset from the doctor blade by the lifter fingers 53, the draft of ingoing air passing into the mouth of the conduit 54 will exercise a strong suction effect upon the freed chips, whereby to catchup the same and thereupon cause them to enter and pass through the conduit 54 to a suitable place of disposal externally Of the envelope manufacturing machine.

As is well known to the art a suitable conveyer means (not shown) receives the blanks B discharged from the envelope closure flap gumming and drying mechanism of the envelope manufacturing machine, and after spacing them apart in succession, delivers the same one by one to and for passage through the cutting and bed roll assembly of the window cutting means.

As a blank B is moved toward the cutting and bed roll assembly of this invention, its forward end will be engaged by the periphery of the cuting roll l9 so as to be gripped between the same and the peripheries of the blank nipping plates 39. Since, however, said blank nipping plates 39, by reason of their radial floating relation to the axis of rotation of the bed roll 21, are eccentrically offset relative to said axis of rotation, the periphery of the cutting roll l9 as it advances, will push back the blank nipping plates 39 radially against the resistance of the frictionally clutched engagement of the latter with the bed roll ends. By reason of the resistance of this radial displacement of the nipping plates 39, the latter are caused to effect an extraordinarily strong gripping of the blank B between the same and the cutting roll l9 and consequently the blank is so strongly held in the nip of these parts, as it that all tendency to slippage at the moment when, during the advance of the blank B, the cutting blade structure 24 of the cutting roll initiates its incising effect upon the body of the blank. By reason of this novel means for control of the blank B as it advances through the cutting and bed roll assembly, precise positioning of the cutout window in desired predetermined location in the blank body is assured.

As is also well known to the art, a suitable conveyer means (not shown) receives the blafiks as they issue from the window cutting mechanism, and carries them on to and for operative passage through the body flap folding and sealing mechanism of the envelope manufacturing machine.

Having now described out invention, we claim.

1. Rotary window cutting mechanism for envelope manufacturing machines comprising a cutting roll having radially projecting window cutting die means, a bed roll above and opposed to said cutting roll for cooperation with the cutting die means thereof, one of said rolls having radially floating annular blank nipping plates of enlarged diameter frictionally clutched respectively to opposite end faces thereof so as to rotate .lar blank nipping plates,

therewith in opposition to the periphery of the other roll, whereby to engage laterally spaced portions of a blank to advance saidflblankbetween said rolls, said :bedroll having picker means to engage the window cut outwportionsand carry them away from the blanks, a doctor blade mounted toengage its free edge with anascending surface of said bed roll whereby to strip said out out portions from said picker means, an, air suction conduit having its receiving moutnpositioned adjacently abovesaid doctor blade to ,receive stripped cut outportions and convey them away, andsaiddoct-or blade having on its1fa'ce lifter'fingers inclining away therefrom and up,- wardly toward said conduit mouth, whereby both faces of. a stripped cut portion are: exposed tovair suctioncurrentsa i L a -2. Rotary window cuttingmechanism. forenvelope manufacturing machines comprising a cutting roll uhaving radially proj ecting window cutting die means, a bed roll opposed to said cutting roll for cooperation with the cutting die means thereof, one of said rolls having hub extensions projecting from its ends, collars adjustably mounted on said respective hub extensions, annular thrust plates adjacent the inner faces of said respective collars, radially floating annular blank nipping plates of enlarged diameter intermediate said respective thrust plates and the adjacent end faces of said latter roll, compression spring means intermediate said collars and thrust plates whereby the latter are caused to axially move said nipping plates respectively into frictionally clutched relation to the adjacent end faces of said latter roll so as to rotate therewith,

said nipping plates being opposed to the periphery of the other roll, whereby to engage laterally spaced portions of a blank to advance said blank between said rolls.

3. Rotary window cutting mechanism for envelope manufacturing machines comprising a cutting roll having radially projecting window cutting die means, a bed roll above and opposed to said cutting roll for cooperation with the cutting means thereof, means to rotate said rolls in cooperative relation, said bed roll having a pair of diametrically enlarged radially floating annumeans to frictionally clutch said nipping plates respectively to adjacent end faces of said bed roll so as to rotate therewith in opposition to the periphery of said bed roll, said bed roll having picker means to engage the window cut out portions and carry them away from the blanks, a doctor blade mounted to engage its free edge with an ascending surface of said bed roll whereby to strip said out out portions from said picker means, an air suction conduit having its receiving mouth positioned adjacently above said doctor blade to receive stripped cut out portions and convey them away, and said doctor blade having on its face lifter fingers inclining away therefrom and upwardly toward said conduit mouth, whereby both faces of a stripped cut out portion are exposed to air suction currents.

4. Rotary window cutting mechanism for envelope manufacturing machines comprising a cutting roll having radially projecting window cuttin die means, a bed roll above and opposed to said cutting roll for cooperation with the cutting means thereof, means to rotate said rolls in cooperative relation, said bed roll having hub extensions projecting from its ends, collars adjustably mounted on said respective hub extensions, annular thrust plates adjacent the inner faces of Said respedtive cbll'ars, di an'xetricafl'ly enflarged racfiamy fida'ting annular. blankmipping p'rates mbfmedi atesaiid respective 'tnrms't pl-aites and the 'afijac'en't end -fwce's 61? said he'd -=r0'11-, compresgion pr mg'ax'neans intenne'di at'e said wllars mend thrust mates whereby the'lafizter are-:czmsed stovaxi'al'ly mav said nipping plates respectively ante "fricfi'dizally clutched =re1ata'con its) the adjacent end f-Ece'sozf sfid bed r011 so 245 130 rbta'te mherewith, shi-clan ipping plates "n'ei'r l'g apposed-ha s'a'id :cuwing r611 tor coeperition with the periphery thereof, saidbedrdll having pickerimea'ns 170 engage-the wammw cut out portions and :carry them away from "we blanks, a dodtbr ibi'ade mounted to en- "g a'gits fere eflge with an ascending surfaoeof said bd r011 whereby to strip sai d cut out portions from said picker means, an ai-r .su ctio'mcondifit having its receiving mouth positioned adfiaoemly air's'ove said doctor blade to receive stripped utbut portmn's'and nonvey them away, I

and said 'dbctor blade having on its fave iittr fingers inclining away therefrom and upwgi aly .t'owa'nd said conduit mouth, whereby bothlifams bf a stripped ut out portion are expose'd 130-951'311'0- tion currents.

LOUIS AUGUST DALMEN;

REFERENCES CITED The 'following references are ofrctnd "in 3111?:

'file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT-S Number Name 1321 11 I 1351,5 19 Hope et a1. Mar. 25, 1939 2,181,314 Burns Nov. 28; 1939 2,302,355 Hall'mah Nov. 24, 19212 2,323,955 Hoffman et a1 Aug. m-i'bg 2,412,047 Huck Dec. "3, 1946 

